U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard endorsed her Democratic colleague U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa for governor today, saying Hanabusa has a “proven record of leadership.”

Gabbard said she had already decided to endorse Hanabusa before the Jan. 13 ballistic missile false alarm, but said incumbent Gov. David Ige’s performance during the alert was lacking.

“The failure of leadership that we saw throughout that entire incident further affirmed what I know, and what I trust in my call today,” Gabbard told reporters at a press conference on the state Capitol grounds this morning. “We need a strong, decisive, dynamic leader here in the governor’s office to be able to best serve and lead Hawaii.”

Hanabusa has secured the support of an unusual number of prominent Hawaii political figures in the months leading up to the Democratic primary, including former Govs. George Ariyoshi and Ben Cayetano, and a variety of leaders in the state Legislature.